HOSPITAL GROWTH

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 995, 11 June 1930, Page 11

HOSPITAL GROWTH

LARGE EXPENDITURE OYER 1.4 YEARS PROVISION FOR CHRONICS Since 1916 the sum of £368,393 has been spent in capital works and extensions at the Auckland ’ lospital and in the country districts, according to a statementm ado by the chairman. Mr. W. Wallace, to the board yesterday. Reviewing the expenditure on development of the hospital facilities. Mr. Wallace said the capital expenditure did not include the £40.000 for the infectious diseases block now under construction. The sum of £225,371 had been expendid at the hospital and the nurses’ home, the principal items being: Princess Mary Hospital. £26,404: nurses’ home additions. £67,775: Wallace Wards. £94.249: laundry and machinery staff quarters. £18,387. The expenditure on the infirmary totalled £102,541. The Franklin Memorial Hospital cost £14,594, and the Warkworth Hospital £3.490. Air. Wallace said the board would have to decide the type of hospital that might have to be erected to meet the demands of Xorth Shore and suburbs to the south of the city, but in his opinion the Auckland Hospital would have to continue as the base institution. The majority of patients from outlying districts would, he believed, prefer to be brought directly to the base hospital, where the most skilled attention and best appliances were available. Mr. Wallace referred to English movement toward the establishment of recovery hospitals and convalescent homes, the object of which was to relieve the base hospitals of chronic and convalescent cases. He considered that if the Auckland board adopted such a scheme is would be able to continue a long time with the present buildings. The pressing need todav was to relieve the hospital of chronic and convalescent cases, which now had to be kept there. He believed the board would be acting rightly by making some provision of that nature. He had recently been informed that 30 patients could have been moved from the hospital if other accomodation was available.